Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts - July 18

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts is hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. This is a chance for book bloggers to dabble in areas besides books (but those are welcome too). Share your plans for the weekend, a rant on people not using their turn signals in parking lots, or your love of Sunday morning mimosas.

I turned 50 last week. Oh, my gosh, that was tough. It shouldn't be. Age is just a number. I don't feel 50. Well, how would I know? What does 50 feel like? Maybe I should say that I don't feel like my mother. Granted, she never made it to 50, so I already feel blessed I'm happy and healthy. My memories of my mother, though, are of this serious person who never would think of doing the Carlton in the middle of the living room--which I've been known to do. She was definitely the adult in the house.






It's also hard to imagine I've been around for half a century. Where did the time go? Didn't I just graduate from high school? How am I the mother of two teenage girls and a son who has been married for eight years? How is it I'm much closer to retirement than to starting out?

Perhaps the toughest realization of turning 50 is that I thought I would have accomplished more by now. I'm actually working harder now than I did when I was 30.

Life is strange. Now instead of taking care of kids, the hubby and I are caring for his parents. We find the girls want to spend more time with friends and less with us. In a couple of years, it's possible our oldest daughter won't join us on vacation because she will be working or off on her own. We've spent our entire adult lives taking care of kids. What will it be like when they aren't home anymore? Yes, they will still need us, but it will be different. It doesn't make me sad, really, just makes me wonder what else the Lord has in store for us.

Have you been down this road before? How did it feel for you? Any helpful tips you can share?